Fluid suction device



March 3, 1959. A. B. BRADLEY FLUID SUCTION DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1955 INVENTOR. aaaz'somfiaZhrdfim g BY VII/Ill rI/llIl/I/d A. B. BRADLEY FLUID SUCTION DEVICE Mafcli 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed Jfily 28, 1955 Q9 r INVENTOR. (Zaaibmflalmdfinzafgy BY LZWQ, Mf

United States Patent mesne assignments, to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application July 28, 1955, Serial No. 524,962

8 Claims. (Cl. 230-117) This invention relates to a fluid suction device. The principal object of this invention is to provide a fluid suction device such as a canister type vacuum cleaner in which an improved structure is employed to reduce the cost, weight, and number of necessary parts of the device. In achieving this and other objects, the improved device of this invention employs simple yet lightweight parts, some of which perform a number of functions, and arranges these parts in an easily assembled organization.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a canister type suction cleaner embodying the invention, but with the dirt separating member or bag removed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical elevational view taken substantially along line 22 of Figure 1, but showing only the motor housing and attached lower end cap member.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of the motor housing only taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional plan view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1 illustrating the bottom end cap member and omitting the other elements of the motor.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken substantially along line 5--5 of Figure 3.

The vacuum cleaner illustrated in the accompanying drawings is of the well known canister type and comprises a lower pan-shaped casing portion and an upper casing portion 11 cooperating with the lower casing portion to complete the enclosing casing. The upper portion 11 is provided with a top opening 11a and an outwardly spaced rim 11b. In order to close this opening 11a, the canister includes a removable cover 12 provided with a central handle 13 and an outer edge head 14 of resilient rubber or the like. As shown in Figure 1, this resilient bead 14 engages the rim 11b to make sealing contact therewith when the cover 12 is in its normal position over the opening 11a.

The upper casing portion 11 is provided with an intake opening 110 into which may be inserted, in the customary manner, the end of a flexible suction hose (not shown) of usual construction.

Extending inwardly and surrounding the opening 110 is an essentially tubular horn 15 provided with a raised annular flange 15a adjacent to its inner end. This flange 15a operates to retain a dust bag or similar dust separating member on the horn 15 in the customary manner. These dirt separating members are preferably porous paper bags having an opening in one wall provided with a rubber diaphragm which can be slipped over the end of the horn 15 and over the flange 15a in order to make sealing engagement with the horn. This construc- "ice ' tion and this use of a dirt separating member is purely conventional and forms no part of the present invention.

The bottom edge of the upper casing section 11 is provided with an annular flange 11d that extends first outwardly and then downwardly. This flange 11d may be attached in any manner desired, such as by a plurality of screws (not shown) to an outwardly extending lower flange 10a on the upper edge of the lower casing portion 10. As is illustrated in Figure l, the flange 10a is enclosed within the flange 11d of the upper casing portion.

Extending across the casing formed by the portions 10 and 11 is an upwardly arched perforated sheet metal screen 16 that is covered by thin fabric felt member 16c. The outer edge 16a of the screen 16 is attached to the outer edge of a transverse partition 17 that is located beneath the screen 16. The outer edge portion 17a of the partition 17 to which the outer edge 16a of the screen 16 is attached extends outwardly between the flanges 10a and 11d of the casing portions 10 and 11 and is attached thereto.

The upper portion of the lower casing portion 10 is provided with a series of openings 10b for the escape of air from the casing. These openings are horizontally elongated and extend a portion of the way around the circumference of the casing. The openings are so located that they are at least partially hidden by the downwardly extending portion of the flange 11d.

The partition 17 divides the casing formed by the I casing portions 10 and 11 into an upper low pressure suction side 18 above the partition and a high pressure side 19 beneath the partition. In order to provide communication between these sides of the partition, there is provided a central opening 17b in the partition.

In order to maintain a flow of air through the suction device of this invention, there is provided a motor and fan unit 20. In the embodiment shown, this unit comprises a motor adjacent to the partition 17 including a rotatable motor shaft 21, an armature 22 mounted thereon, a field including laminations 23, a commutator 24, and brushes 25 engaging the commutator 24 in the customary manner. The motor is so arranged that the shaft 21, which extends well beyond the armature 22, is substantially perpendicular to the partition 17 with the motor being substantially entirely beneath this partition. The upper end of this shaft 21 is adjacent to the opening 17b in the partition 17c and is provided with a centrifugal fan 26 mounted on the shaft 21 by means of a nut 27. The fan 26, which is of ordinary construction, is positioned within an upwardly extending inverted cup-shaped section in which the partition opening 17b is located. This cup-shaped section 17c has a top part 17d adjacent to a side of the fan 26 and a substantially circular side portion 17.? that is adjacent to the edge of the fan 26.

The part 17g of the partition 17 that is adjacent to the side portion 17e is spaced downwardly beneath the outer edge portion 17a of this partition. This construction provides a plurality'of flat portions 17a, 17c, and 17g that are located in different horizontal planes. This serves to strengthen the partition 17 so that it may be x bottom of the motor and fan unit ,20,with the high pressure side 19 of the device.

The housing 28 is 'providedwith a plurality of fins 28:: extending inwardly from-the sides of the housing to the field laminations 23. The upper inner edges 28b of these fins are spaced from the armature 22 and above the field laminations -23;

Themotor fan unit 20 also includes a bottom endcap member 30 'that carries the brush holders 31 for the brushes 25 which are connected in the electricsystem to the motor by wires 32; The lower cap member '30 is also provided'with an integral wall portion30a formed with a circular cavity 30b for retaining a bearing33 for the lower end of the motor shaft 21.

The upper portions of the integral fins 289 are provided with a similar integral wall' 34'forming -a cavityfor a similar bearing, 35 for the upper end of the motor The upper wall;28c of the housing 28 isflared outwardly andupwardly withthe extreme upper edgeprovided with an outwardly extending flange '28d.- Thisupper edge describes a circle having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the fan 26. The flange 28d is attachedlo the bottom of the partition 17 bymeans ofa plurality of screws 36 that pass through the partition into the flange 28d. As can be seen in Figure l, the flange 28d islocated adjacent to the side portion 17e of the partition. The outwardly flared portion 280 of the housing 28'and the upwardly inverted cup-shaped- 17d oi the partition 17 cooperate to form a por n for the fan 26. The upper edgesofi confining housing the fins 28a are substantially aligned in a horizontalplane which is parallel to and below the bottom of'the fan 26.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the outer edges of the-fins 23a adjacentto the fiange28d are smoothly curved so that air circulation set up by the rotating fan 26-is directed in a substantially streamlined flow into and through the space motor itself. As viewedin Figure 3, the fan would rotate in a counter-clockwise direction-relative to the shown in Fig. 5, the field laminations 23,"therefore,- are mountedon the end cap rnernber 30 but extend up into edges 28 of the lower e ho sin 28 with. t e. inner portions ofthe fins 28 beingadjacent to these field laminations.

The. end cap member 30, tions 23, areattached to the housing plurality of bolts arefour of these bolts 39. Each bolt extends'upwardly through a raised boss 30d and engages a threaded opening 28g in an aligned enlarged portion 28h at thebottom-of a fin 28a. The bsses'3 0d and portions 28h are so dimensioned that when the end cap member 30- is fastened in position by thebolts 39, there is an annular space 2011 between thebpttorn of the housing28 and the top edge of the cap member 30.

The bottom 30zrofthe cap-member 30 surrounding and thus the field' lamina- 28 by means ofa the bearing cavity 30b is provided with a plurality of outwardly extendingheatradiating fins 302; This botom lno on M? pnq ed m n nnular r m portion by anso s der-made u q j air am t i al p d d nw rdly x endin m 40 nd a pai of d amet cal ;qppg e hicksns p t pn 1-. ic use eabo ed se b d sh rs Each. brush holder 31 is held in place by means of a set screw 42'.

As is shown in FigmezA, each boss 30d, of v thepap, member 30 is reinforcedby. section 4410f metal: PQSF tioned on the inner surfaceof the portion. 30g.

29 between the housing 28 and-;the

member 30; The upper 39. In the embodiments shown, there These sections 44 of adjacent bosses 30d extend from the bosses-toward each othenandloward .a,.web. .ofv metal.

43 that extends inwardly from a rim portion 30g toward an opening 33, in which a bolt 37 is engaged.

The structure shown and described has a number of new and unobvious advantages. Thus, the entire unit is a very lightweight unitbecaus ef-of its simple construction and because of the light weight of the parts used and because many parts serve -..a plurality of functions.

Thus, the;essentially, horizontal partition 1'! may be .a.

mple s e meta s mp t a is r tr n e light in weight, with this stamping serving-as ort for the mqtorand to divide the casing into a low pressure suction zone 18 and a high-pressure 'air exhaust zone 19. Furthermore, this partition lj may be shaped as indicated at to provide a portion of a fan casing.

Another very important advantage of the construction shown and described is theprovision of the motor housing 28 which serves to direct air from thewfanwoverzthe motor partsto keep them cool. Thus, the. air. flows within the housing 28-- pastthe :brushes25, the.- column-: tator'24, and the-lower bearing-33. Furthermore, the: housing is of simple construction with the.inward-';ex.-. tendedfins 29 serving a plurality of functions as, earlier.

described.

Having described my invention as related to ;the.emr:

bodiment-shown in the accompanying drawings, ,.it;is. my; intention that the invention be not limited by any ofrthe. 1

of longitudinal fins integral with the housing extending inwardly from said housing to said field; an open end cap member on the end'of'the. housing opposite to saidfan; means attaching said field to said cap member; and means attaching said cap member to said housing.

2. The suction-device-ofclaim 1 wherein the-fan end of,

saidzhousing is llaredloutwardly to an extremity beyond the outeredge of saidxfan.

' 3. The suction device of claim 1 wherein said cap mentber: issprovided withan integral wall forming a chamber for housing a bearing for said shaft and said housing is provided withran integral wall adjacent to said fan vf orrn inga-second chamber for housing, a second bearingfor said shaft.

4. Afiuid suction device, Comprising: a casing", a parti tion therein dividingthe casing into a low pressure suc tion sideand a highpressure side; a motor adjaeent to said partitionincluding= a rotatable shaft and a; field;

a suction fan on said shaftadjacent to said partition having amoutlet, andan inlet communicatingwith said low pressure side through an opening in said partition; a housingfor the-rnotgr attachedto said partition surrounding said field but spaced therefrom to provide an air des ribe-s a wmmPnim PsWi a d a o let llmi e d i h Pressure side s n i fl h el h d Space n er saidh s rss sras s; a lur of longifiidi'nl fies integral with the housing extendinginwardly fromsaidhousing to said field; janppen endcap memberon the end of'the housing opposite to saiclfan; means attach ing said field to said'-capmember; and means attaching.

said" cap memberto said housing.

:5; The suctiondeviceofflclaimA wherein the fan end of said housing-is flared outwardly i an P IW QQY ib wa d-1 having an outlet, andtan inlethigh pressure side causing air flow through said space into said high pressure side; a pluralitythe outer edge of the fan and the section of said partition adjacent to said fan is of generally cup-shape to enclose the side of the fan opposite to said housing, said cup-shape section and flared housing end cooperating to provide a fan casing for the fan.

6. The suction device of claim 5 wherein said partition is normally substantially horizontal in said casing with said low pressure suction side being above and the high pressure side below the partition, and said motor is substantially vertical and suspended from said partition.

7. A suction cleaner, comprising: a casing; a generally transverse one-piece sheet metal stamping partition thereacross dividing the easing into a low pressure suction side and a high pressure side; a motor suspended in its entirety from said transverse sheet metal partition and including a housing having a rim portion attached to said partition, the rim portion and a section of said one-piece partition being spaced apart to define a fan chamber; a rotatable motor shaft having one end within said fan chamber; and a fan on said shaft Within the fan chamber, said partition section being generally of cup-shape enclosing one side and an edge portion of said fan and having an inlet opening communicating with the fan chamber.

8. A suction cleaner, comprising: a casing; a generally transverse one-piece sheet metal stamping partition thereacross dividing the easing into a low pressure suction side and a high pressure side; a motor suspended in its entirety from said transverse partition and including a housing having a rim portion attached to said partition, the rim portion and a section of said one-piece partition being spaced apart to define a fan chamber; a rotatable motor shaft having one end within said fan chamber; and a fan on said shaft within the fan chamber, said housing that includes the rim portion being flared outwardly, said partition sec tion extending outwardly from adjacent to said rim portion and being generally cup-shaped to enclose one side and an edge of said tan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,148 Bennett Apr. 26, 1910 993,985 Harker May 30, 1911 1,320,224 Garman Oct. 28, 1919 1,860,883 Bilde May 31, 1932 1,940,260 Ljungquist Dec. 19, 1933 2,025,946 Wenner-Gren Dec. 31, 1935 2,172,180 Schellens Sept. 5, 1939 2,336,716 Clements Dec. 14, 1943 2,394,953 Waterfill Feb. 12, 1946 2,670,896 Ardito Mar. 2, 1954 2,780,826 Coons et al. Feb. 12, 1957 2,781,103 Daiger et al. Feb. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 554,074 France Feb. 23, 1923 

